WOLE BALOGUN, Ado Ekiti
Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Ekiti, Prof. Kayode Shoremekun, has lamented what he described as the dwindling research endeavours by university students particularly at the post-graduate level, attributing this to low-level of support from the government and private institutions for such effort.
Prof Shoremekun who noted that sustainable development and meaningful growth are only achievable via adequate and continuous research in universities urged the government and other education stakeholders as well as postgraduate students across the nation’s universities to put in more effort into research studies.
The VC made the remarks on Wednesday during the maiden edition of FUOYE’s matriculation ceremony for 292 postgraduates students.
He was represented on the occasion by Prof. Babatope Alabadan who is the Chairman, Committee of Deans and Dean of Faculty of Engineering, FUOYE.
Other dons and dignitaries at the institutions present at the event included the Dean, FUOYE School of Post-Graduate Studies
Olayinja Adeniran Ajayi, Acting Registrar, Prof. Rasaki Ojo Bakare, deans of faculties of Agriculture, Sciences, Social Sciences and Arts as well as Dean, Faculty of Arts of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Prof. Gbemisola Adeoti among other university administrators and dons.
In a matriculation address titled “Common Academic and Academic mistakes by postgraduate students,” by the VC said: “Research is important in the development and productive growth of any nation; those who are ready to invest their time to do thorough research are needed but the profile of research efforts in Africa is relatively low; so the future lies on the young researchers who are you the postgraduate students.
Commenting on the developmental strides of the institution, he said: “ln FUOYE, we make a certain amount of money as research grants to students. We also take care of indigent students. We encourage our academics and they are doing very well. Our students have won many international laurels while our lecturers have won several fellowships globally. As for facilities, many of the older universities are envious of our facilities as we have very new ones compared to the obsolete ones,” he said.
Prof Bakare, who stated that FUOYE was first to start a post-graduate school out of the first nine new universities established by the former Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, said: “292 students were matriculated today. It is a huge number compared to the age of the university, 47,000 students had shown interest in our school but we couldn’t accommodate all of them.
“We have 30 departments across five faculties, Agriculture, Arts, Engineering, Sciences and Social Sciences.
“The post-graduate programmes are 70 programmes for the PGD, Masters and PhD degrees. We are starting the 2019/2020 postgraduate academic session on September 1 and we already have its advert on our website. We will also soon put up an advertisement for our programmes on the national dailies in a week’s time,” he said.